


What Everyone Knows

by posingasme



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Castiel went to hell for Sam, Dean Ships It, M/M, Werewolf Garth, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-24
Updated: 2015-05-24
Packaged: 2018-04-01 01:12:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4000303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/posingasme/pseuds/posingasme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean and Garth know a secret. EVERYONE knows a secret, except for Sam and his angel.</p><p>[Tumblr prompt fill]</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Everyone Knows

Garth had never met the angel of legend. But the Supernatural books had been his bedtime stories for months, and he had a pretty good idea who this scowling figure before him was.

"You're Castiel!" He felt like he was meeting a celebrity, except that this particular celebrity had helped save the world.

The reverence in the voice caught the angel's attention. He stared at Garth as if he had only just noticed him. Garth didn't mind. He got that a lot. "I am. And who are you?"

Dean flicked his wrist at them carelessly. "Oh. Cas, this is Garth. Garth, meet Cas."

"You're the angel!"

Castiel squinted his eyes at Garth. Just like in the books! "You...aren't a human."

"I'm a lycanthrope. Was human. Not now. It's a long story."

"It's really not," Dean huffed as he sorted through the weapons in his trunk. "He got himself bit. Garth. Hold this."

Garth reached without looking and a sawed-off was thrust into his hand. He continued to stare at the angel. "Well, it's an honor to meet you. If you hadn't dragged Dean's ass out of Hell, I'd have never met him. Or Sam or Kevin."

"And wouldn't that have been a shame."

Castiel was sending Dean a look of annoyance.

"Don't listen to him," Garth suggested. "I read Chuck's work. He's grateful. He just doesn't know how to act like it."

"Garth, we are here to slaughter werewolves."

"Don't mean I can't get conversational with your angel buddy while you're picking out what gun matches your plaid, or whatever you're doing. Seriously, it's a werewolf gang. Grab some silver, cuz."

"I'm looking for my silver knife, jackass."

Castiel sighed. "I'm not sure why I'm needed for this."

Dean's head was impossibly deep into the Impala's trunk now. "Because some of us are still mostly human and we'd like to stay that way. Unless you'd like to see Sammy break out fangs and claws once a month."

"I would not like that," Castiel confirmed.

"Well, Garth said there are a couple dozen of them. I can handle it, but Garth and Sammy, you better keep an eye on them." Dean lifted his head long enough to wink at Garth.

"Where is Sam?" Castiel asked in a soft voice.

Garth looked up from Dean's rummaging and pointed behind the angel. A hulking figure was striding toward them. Garth watched Castiel turn and view the hunter. It was curious the way the angel seemed to catch his breath in his lungs with a tiny intake that swelled his chest. Interesting. Garth didn't even know angels breathed at all.

Then his wolf eyes caught something equally intriguing. As Sam came closer, he gave a small wave to Garth, but his eyes were locked on the figure of Castiel. The soft smile on his face was something Garth recognized immediately. It was the way Bess looked at him from across a room.

Castiel's gaze was taking in everything, as though he would memorize the man's every feature.

Sam blinked hard and seemed to shake himself a bit. He shrugged a silent question at Garth.

The lycanthrope smirked. "Looking for a silver knife," he explained.

Sam held up two of them. "Dean?" he muttered.

The older man turned and stared. "What the hell! That's mine!"

"Yeah. And I'm the one scouting a gang of hood wolves. I think I'm entitled to two blades when I could potentially be surrounded by thirty werewolves." He glanced at Garth. "Lycanthropes."

Garth shook his head. "Too good a word for these guys, Sam." He reached up and hugged the younger of the brothers, and out of the corner of his eye, he could see the way Castiel observed the casual, slightly awkward embrace, with something resembling envy. And wasn't that interesting too?

"Well, give me it," Dean snapped. He slammed the trunk. "I been stuck here with your angel and Garth for the whole time you were gone. I need to shoot something."

"It's been like five minutes since the angel showed," Garth protested.

"That's how long it takes for me to want to shoot something. And I been with you for almost an hour."

But Sam was stuck on one phrase. "My angel? He isn't anybody's angel, Dean. Don't be insulting."

Interesting.

"Jesus, Garth, didn't you feed him? You know how he gets."

Dean smiled finally. "Okay, shut up. Don't go ganging up on me. When do I get to kill some werewolves?"

***

Dean watched as Castiel's worried eyes scanned his brother's body a bit intimately. "Isn't nothing you can't fix," he said quietly.

"No," Castiel agreed. "No. Similarly to your episode getting bitten by Eve, I can prevent his transformation."

Dean sighed out all his breath in relief.

Castiel's hand went to Sam's forehead with a tenderness Dean was certain had never been used on him. Not that Castiel was ever careless when delivering his grace, but there was a definite difference whenever he touched Sam.

"It must be done properly," the angel muttered to himself unnecessarily.

"Something wrong?"

Castiel looked up at him. "No. He will be fine. I won't let anything happen to him."

Dean's smirk fell short and remained an amused smile. "I know you won't." He stood and brushed his palms on his jeans. He turned to Garth, who was busy getting his blood pressure and fangs under control. "You all right, man?"

With one last nauseating crackle of joint, Garth's face looked familiar again. "I'm good, chief. Sam okay?"

"Sam is fine. He's being touched by an angel as we speak."

Garth snorted. "I'm sure he's real torn up about that." He was still panting, and there was blood, but Dean was pleased to see just how well his plan had worked. Having all the werewolves in one location had been a stroke of luck they could not afford to miss. Then the shrapnel bomb, straight out of Jo Harvelle's playbook back when they were up against Hell hounds, this time filled with silver, had evened the field dramatically. Bobby would have been proud of Dean's creation and detonation, and he liked to think he had given him and Jo a post-mortem win.

So now he grinned at Garth. "What, you think my brother got himself ripped up by a bunch of weres just to get his angel's hands on him?"

"I'm saying it's a perk of the job, as far as your brother is concerned."

Dean laughed. He found that it gave him a sort of wicked delight to know Garth had seen what he saw constantly. "You notice how Cas was totally on board as soon as I reminded him Sammy could get himself hurt and need him? Guy must have smote fifteen wolves by himself, and never left Sam's side."

The lycanthrope snickered. "You saw that too, huh?"

Dean grabbed at Garth's arm to inspect a particularly deep cut. He suspected it would heal up quickly. But if Garth were still human, he would have been worried. "They're impossible to be around sometimes. Wish they'd just talk to each other," he muttered. "Life's short. Why spend it dancing around something you want instead of getting it?"

"You know Sam better than I do, man. He's an idgit."

Dean wanted to glare at him, but refrained. Garth had done well today. "Yeah. Anyway, glad you called us in for this. I never want to hear you tried to do something like this by yourself. You'd have gotten mauled. But you handled yourself like a pro in there. Like a...freaking wolf pro, but a pro."

Garth beamed in the praise. "You getting soft in your old age?"

"Shut up."

Dean bandaged Garth's arm even though it probably didn't need it. It was the best he could do to show Garth he cared about him without turning the whole thing into daytime television.

He looked up to see Sam still sitting on the floor of the warehouse, looking up at Castiel with a smile that said he thought angel was an insufficient description for this creature. He sighed. "Life's too short," he muttered again.

***

"So I want to talk to you." Dean wanted nothing of the sort. But he figured he had better act like a big brother now before Sam screwed up entirely. "About Sam."

"Something wrong with Sam?"

He laughed. "Yeah. No, that's sort of what I wanted to talk about. Dude, you're a clueless angel, and he's a walking, human pile of awkward. So obviously you two need an expert."

Castiel's eyes blinked several times.

***

"So, Sam, thanks for the ride back. I mean, I'm fine, but the arm, you know?"

"Of course, Garth. You did a lot of good today, buddy. Those werewolves would have torn up hundreds of humans next moon."

"Yeah. Thanks for coming to help out."

"No problem! Nice to have some cut and dry bad guys now and then."

Garth smiled up at him. "Yeah. Some cut and dry good guys too, huh? Castiel, I mean, he's awesome, isn't he?"

Sam's face softened into a smile.

***

"I'm afraid I don't know what you are getting at, Dean."

"I know you don't. That's why we're talking about it. I've spent the last year accepting the fact that my guardian angel is in love with my kid brother."

Castiel sucked a gasp in through his teeth.

***

"Yeah. He's incredible. He's been through a lot the last few years. We all have. But it's like he's finally figuring himself out, you know? Like he's spent eons following orders, and every time he's tried to think of what he wants or what he feels is right, he got smacked down for it. It's interesting to watch him figure out who he really is." Sam glanced at him quickly. "I-I guess that's more than you were asking."

Garth shrugged. "I read the books. But they ended when you tossed yourself and two archangels into a pit. He's the one that got you out?"

"Yeah. It took a garrison of angels to rescue Dean, but Cas managed to go into the pit with his two most dangerous brothers and rip me out himself. Not whole, of course. But he didn't know that."

"Sounds like a guy that cares about you. Took on Hell by himself? Went into a pit with Lucifer, who had just snapped him into bits? With Michael, who he betrayed? Pretty gutsy for a guy to do just for one human. I mean...that's something you wouldn't see me considering for anybody but my Bess."

Sam was swallowing hard, and tightening his hands around the Impala's steering wheel.

***

"Dean, I never...I love your brother as I'm meant to love all humans!"

"Yeah. Okay. Maybe. But if that's true, if you don't love him anymore than you do any other human..."

Castiel was frowning severely. "That's not...Of course I care about your brother more than humans I don't know. And more than most I do know. He's different from any other human. I'm simply..."

"In love with my kid brother," Dean finished for him. He tossed the lit match onto the pile and watched the fire flare into life. He and Castiel quickly removed themselves from the blaze. They stood at a safe distance and watched the warehouse catch entirely.

Castiel did not respond.

***

"I mean, I guess I'd do just about anything for Bess. And there's nothing she wouldn't do for me. When you love someone that much, you just can't help it."

Sam cleared his throat, then laughed anxiously. "Well, I think it's a bit different with me and Cas."

"Sure! I mean, every love is different. Cas is a little more conservative. Bess and I are totally okay with showing our affection in front of folks. Just how we are. You and Cas, it's different. A little more subtle. But it's still pretty obvious to anyone around you."

The large hunter chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment before asking, "What's obvious?"

***

"It's okay, Cas. It's better than okay. Look, it's something I'll never have again, and I've accepted that, but you gotta know I'm happy for the two of you. There's nobody else on the planet who can love my brother, knowing exactly what he is and what he does...and what he's done. He's tried to make things work with other people, but the closest he ever came to somebody knowing the real him and accepting him for it is Ruby! Seriously. So if he's going to have a chance at love ever, you're it."

Castiel looked as though he was in pain. He stared at Dean desperately. "But he doesn't...even if I did care about him in that way, Dean, which...which I'm not convinced of...the feeling would need to be reciprocated, and it-"

"And it is," Dean said firmly, and watched the angel's eyes widen with fear. "Look, I said I've known for a year you loved my brother. What I didn't say was I've known for about three years he's in love with you."

The angel reacted to his words with his whole body. It was an inward flinch, a jolt of emotion.

Dean had thought he had known before. But now, looking at the way Castiel seemed to transform into a frightened puppy, the way he stared at him with hope and terror, now, Dean was truly certain. "Sam loves you, man. Like he's loved nobody else. And what you're feeling now? That way you know you'll do anything to be with him, to be the one who protects him? That feeling in your gut that tells you everything is better when he's around, and the way your mind goes a bit foggy when he smiles and the way you feel like you can't get enough breath when he's talking? That's you being in love with my brother."

Castiel let out a pitiful noise. "Dean, what do I do?"

His human brother smiled at him. This part was the easy part.

***

"It's obvious how much you two love each other, and trust one another. It's not so different from me and Bess. The guy is so completely in love with you, Sam. I hope you let him know it's mutual."

Sam blinked at the road ahead, and licked his lips. Then he took a breath. "Did you talk to Dean about this?"

Garth shrugged. "Why would I? He gets it. That's obvious too."

"It is?" Sam frowned. "You know what? I got to concentrate on the road. You get some rest. We're almost there."

Garth smiled to himself. "Sure, buddy. I'll take a little nap. I fall asleep thinking about Bess every time, you know? When we can't be together, it's just nice to imagine holding her as I fall asleep."

"Yeah," Sam breathed. "Yeah, I bet it is."

***

Dean and Sam did not talk on the way back to the motel. They would get back on the road to the bunker in the morning, Dean had said, then he had turned up the radio and not spoken again until they were parked and highlighted in neon.

"Go on in. You got tore up today."

"I get torn up every day."

"Today was different. I can see it on your face. Look, just go in. I asked Cas to look in on you. I'm going to get something to drink. I'll be back in a few hours."

Sam frowned at him. A tendril of fear spiraled through him. "Why would you do that? I don't need looking in on!"

Dean winked at him. "I think you do. And I think he wants to."

His breath caught in his throat. So Garth was right. Dean thought he knew something too. What was wrong with these two? If Castiel had any feeling for him, he would know by now. He wasn't even convinced he had feelings himself. And since when did freaking Garth Fitzgerald or his damn brother care about stupid stuff like this? When did they all stop being hunters and start some kind of soap opera?

Castiel was waiting inside the locked room. He stared at the strange expression on his face. "Sam."

"Cas? Are you all right?" Sam dropped his bags onto one of the beds and approached the angel sitting on the other. All thoughts of Dean and Garth disappeared in a blink.

"I wanted to...Sam, can we talk?"

"Of course, man. What's on your mind?" He could hear his own blood pounding in his ears, and he wanted to scream. _Fine_! his brain shrieked at his heart. _Maybe I love him! I don't know! Just stop before he hears you!_ The heart ignored him.

Castiel's tongue darted out to wet his lips, and Sam stared at his mouth. "Sam, I was worried about you tonight. You take so many risks. It would...it would upset me greatly if you were damaged beyond my ability to repair you."

Sam heard himself laugh a bit too loudly. "Noted. I'll try not to go after thirty werewolves with three other guys ever again. But you have to admit, we were a great team. Nice to fight with you again."

The pleasure on the angel's face made Sam's own heat with a blush. "Yes. I like fighting at your side." He took a breath. "I like...being at your side, Sam. Very much. In fact...there's nowhere I would rather be."

"You mean with me and Dean." He sounded breathless, and he hated it.

"I...Yes. With you and Dean. But...even without Dean. I enjoy your company...differently. Dean is my friend and I will always see myself as his guardian and him as my commander. But...I'm beginning to think...You are something quite different to me."

Sam felt his chest tightening. He could not get enough breath in his lungs. This seemed to happen a lot around Castiel. But it was worse now. "I enjoy your company too."

Castiel nodded slowly, staring down at his own hands. "Sam, I don't know if this means anything to you. But I have felt for a very long time...I suppose I didn't really realize until today..."

"Cas, I'm in love with you." It came out as a clumsy, blurted confession that Sam didn't even know he needed to make. It certainly was not something he could ever have imagined himself saying, not to Castiel, not him of all creatures!

The angel's mouth was open.

"Oh, god, Cas. Please. I'm so sorry. I'm so stupid. Please, can you forget I said anything? You said I had a concussion."

"I healed that," Castiel murmured, a smile forming on his face. "Sam? May I, just for a moment, touch your thoughts? Please."

His mind was screaming, but his heart responded. "Of course, Cas. I've got nothing to hide from you."

The wealth of emotion in Castiel's eyes was too much, so he closed his own while he felt the angel come nearer, into his space. Then he felt the gentle touch of fingers on his temple, and he tried not to, but he leaned into them with a desperation that scared him.

"Me," Castiel whispered. "You do. You love _me_. Sam, how could you not tell me such a thing? I've thought I was the only one feeling these things, and I've..." To his amazement, the angel's voice hitched in a sob. "I've tried so hard to pretend it isn't this, that I don't love you. I've tormented myself for feeling anything for you that I don't feel for your brother." Tears slid down his cheeks now, and he let his knees catch him on the floor beside Sam. He looked up into Sam's eyes. "You've let me think I was wrong to care for you!"

Sam found his voice after a false start, but still could not recognize the words being said with it. "I could say the same to you," he hissed out.

Castiel considered this, then he reached up to hold onto Sam's hand. "Then no more. I will love you and I won't worry that it's wrong, and I'll do anything, and I'll be anything you want me to be for you. I can't lie to myself anymore. If you want nothing from me, I'll at least no longer deceive myself. And if what I saw in your mind is so, you do want something from me, and I'll give it to you with my whole heart. Sam, let me love you."

"God, yes. Cas, yes." He threw himself down on the floor beside the angel- _his angel!_ -and grabbed hold of his face to indulge in the kiss he had tried not to fantasize about for years.


End file.
